McDonald's has launched a cynical public relations ploy to rehabilitate its brand image instead of making real positive change.

Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helu recently sold the U.S. electronics retailer CompUSA to the private equity arm of Gordon Brothers LLC, a liquidation firm.

Friends:

The City Bakery chain enjoys an image of being a "green" and "socially conscious" business. Yet, the City Bakery NY sells seafood from labor rights violator, Wild Edibles, Inc.

Given City Bakery's progressive image, current and former Wild Edibles workers were surprised when owner Maury Rubin refused to even enter into a dialogue regarding the hardships they face.

When Wild Edibles workers demanded the overtime pay they were owed and sought to win a voice at work with the Industrial Workers of the World labor union, their employer commenced a relentless campaign of retaliation including firing or forcing out eleven workers. Not even an injunction from a federal judge has stopped Wild Edibles' rampant retaliation against these immigrant workers.

The City Bakery should honor the people working hard to assert their rights along the food chain and choose a more responsible seafood supplier.

Please contact The City Bakery management at (212) 366-1414 (& press 0), to express your concern for the Wild Edibles workers and their families!

--- An action for positive change from Brandworkers International that you can share with friends. The Brandworkers Focus on the Food Chain initiative empowers immigrant food processing workers to rise above poverty and abuse.

For more information about Brandworkers, a non-profit organization protecting and advancing the rights of retail and food employees, log on to http://www.Brandworkers.org.

Update--- Thanks to your phone calls from around the world and the actions of Wild Edibles workers on the ground in NYC, Kittichai has decided to honor its word and refrain from serving seafood from the Wild Edibles sweatshop. Thank you for all the support. Together we can create an economy that respects the contributions of retail and food employees and every working person.---

Friends:

Brandworkers has learned that Kittichai, the fancy Thai restaurant in New York City, has violated its word and gone back to serving seafood from the Wild Edibles sweatshop.

Wild Edibles and its owner Richard Martin have stolen overtime pay from workers for some 15 years and went on a retaliatory firing spree when workers spoke up for their rights.

Though Kittichai pledged in writing to refrain from serving seafood from Wild Edibles until the workers' rights dispute was resolved, the restaurant's general manager has admitted that Kittichai is not living up to its word and that Chef Lulzim Rexhepi is purchasing large quantities of seafood from Wild Edibles.

The workers of Wild Edibles feel betrayed and insulted as they had previously saluted Kittichai publicly for lending a hand in their time of need.

Please call Kittichai at 212-219-2000 and express your concern that the restaurant has not lived up to its word and is profiting off worker exploitation at Wild Edibles. Demand that Kittichai stop serving Wild Edibles today.

If you get a moment, drop Brandworkers an e-mail at info@brandworkers.org to let us know you participated. Thank you in advance for supporting the dignity of working people.

Dear Friends,

Celebrity Chef Terrance Brennan who serves seafood from known labor rights violator Wild Edibles, Inc. is set to appear on NBC's The Today Show.

To add insult to injury, Chef Brennan's Artisanal Bistro lied to workers in writing by stating that the restaurant no longer served Wild Edibles seafood. After Brandworkers exposed the deception, Brennan admitted in a Sept. 2, 2008 news article that his restaurant is still serving Wild Edibles.                                       

Please take a moment now to express your opinion that Terrance Brennan lacks the credibility and trustworthiness that viewers of The Today Show expect from guests. Click on the following link to participate: http://citizenspeak.org/node/1352

Thank you very much for all of your work to ensure that working families receive the respect they deserve.

http://www.Brandworkers.org

Nigel Haskett was shot multiple times while working at McDonald's because he chose to stand up for a customer who was being violently assaulted. Nigel miraculously survived but now McDonald's is shirking its legal obligation under the workers compensation system to pay his $300,000 in medical-related expenses.

Last year, Keith Olbermann of MSNBC's "Countdown" admirably and repeatedly shamed Wal-Mart into dropping a malicious lawsuit against a former employee Debbie Shank who was left in a near-vegetative state after an accident.

 Please take just a moment to click on the following link and ask Keith to set his sights on McDonald's and demand justice for Nigel: http://citizenspeak.org/node/1492

Nigel distinguished himself as a hero and now he needs our help. Please read the letter and take a moment to participate in an e-mail action.